Capital Markets

  • August 19, 2024

    AI Platform AMC Corp. To Go Public Via $175M SPAC Merger

    Blank check company AlphaVest Acquisition Corp., advised by Winston & Strawn LLP, on Monday unveiled plans to merge with and take public native computer-vision artificial intelligence platform AMC Corp., led by Graubard Miller, in a $175 million deal.

  • August 19, 2024

    Crypto Co. Consensys Says Texas Is Right For SEC Fight

    Crypto software firm Consensys Software Inc. told a Texas federal judge that it beat the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to court when it filed a suit seeking a judgment that its MetaMask software does not offend securities laws, and the regulator cannot now "change the playing field" to New York with its later enforcement suit.

  • August 19, 2024

    Atty Faces Contempt Bid In Fla. Forex Trading Firm Case

    The court-appointed receiver of an investment company at the center of a U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission lawsuit over the firm's $75 million foreign currency trading fraud has asked for the company's now-imprisoned CEO's appeals attorney to be held in contempt of court for allegedly failing to comply with a subpoena.

  • August 19, 2024

    A&O Shearman Hires Ex-Morgan Stanley Exec In New York

    A former executive director at Morgan Stanley has returned to private practice at Allen Overy Shearman Sterling in New York.

  • August 19, 2024

    Icahn Settles With SEC Over Company-Betting Loan Claims

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday announced that hedge fund billionaire Carl Icahn and his publicly traded company have agreed to pay $2 million to end an enforcement action accusing them of failing to disclose the use of Icahn Enterprises LP shares as collateral on personal margin loans.

  • August 19, 2024

    Simpson Thacher Atty Is Paul Hastings' Latest Finance Hire

    Paul Hastings LLP announced Monday that it has made another addition to its banking and finance and private credit platforms, welcoming a New York attorney from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP who represents financial institutions, direct lenders, corporate borrowers and financial sponsors.

  • August 16, 2024

    Deutsche, Ex-Trader End 2nd Libor Malicious Prosecution Suit

    Deutsche Bank and a former U.K. derivatives trader who accused the bank of scapegoating him to U.S. authorities investigating interest rate-rigging have resolved his $30 million malicious prosecution lawsuit in New York state court.

  • August 16, 2024

    Crypto Promoter Gets OK To Appeal Securities Ruling At 5th Circ.

    A Texas federal judge on Friday granted a cryptocurrency influencer's bid to immediately appeal an adverse ruling that his promotion of so-called SPRK tokens had sufficient ties to the U.S. since the question of whether his alleged activity is beyond the reach of federal securities regulators could resolve the suit.

  • August 16, 2024

    SEC Climate Rules Backed By Wave Of Amici At 8th Circ.

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has received a wave of support for its recently adopted climate disclosure rules from various consumer advocacy, environmental, investor and academic groups, which told the Eighth Circuit the measures are necessary and within the agency's authority.

  • August 16, 2024

    Customer Says AAA Must Improve Oversight Of Arbitrators

    The American Arbitration Association allows its arbitrators' decisions to go unchecked because the AAA operates without any formal audit mechanism, a disgruntled T-Mobile USA Inc. customer told a Florida federal judge as he fights an arbitral award favoring the company.

  • August 16, 2024

    Feds To Appeal Platinum Win Over Zero Loss, Count Toss

    Federal prosecutors have notified the Second Circuit that they'll appeal a judge's findings that the loss amount in the case of Platinum Partners co-founder Mark Nordlicht was zero and the wire fraud conspiracy counts against Nordlicht and another would be dismissed, despite Nordlicht's conviction.

  • August 16, 2024

    Nikola, Romeo Power Targeted In Del. Derivative Complaint

    A former Romeo Power Inc. stockholder has launched a double derivative suit seeking derivative damages from nine former Romeo directors and officers in part through derivative claims via Nikola Corp., which acquired Romeo in August 2022 for a fraction of the company's once $1 billion-plus valuation.

  • August 16, 2024

    Shaq Must Face Trimmed Suit Over Astrals Project NFTs

    Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal can escape some, but not all, claims in a proposed class action alleging his promotion of Astrals Project nonfungible tokens violated securities laws by marketing unregistered digital assets, a Florida federal judge ruled Friday.

  • August 16, 2024

    Challenge To SEC Database Not Too Late, Investors Argue

    The Texas investors suing the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to stop the collection of trading information through a central database have hit back against the agency's arguments that the lawsuit was filed 12 years too late, saying they have ongoing concerns that their private information could be compromised.

  • August 16, 2024

    SEC Gets Default Entry Against Crypto Ponzi Scheme Aides

    A Washington federal court entered an order of default against two accused Ponzi scheme promoters on Friday, after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said the pair failed to address its allegations that they helped the creator of a purported cryptocurrency trading bot service scam investors out of $295 million.

  • August 16, 2024

    Trump Media Sued In Del. After New Fla. Share-Sale Challenge

    Citing "contemptuous disregard" for Delaware Court of Chancery orders, two co-founders of Trump Media & Technology Group have sought a temporary restraining order to block the social media venture from seeking a Florida court order to stop their sale of some 18 million shares.

  • August 16, 2024

    Ex-Matterport Worker Sues In Del. Over 'Invalid' Trade Block

    A shareholder of 3D spatial mapping company Matterport Inc. sued the California company in Delaware's Court of Chancery Friday, alleging that when it went public by merging with a special acquisition company in 2021, the company prevented him from trading his shares for six months through an "invalid transfer restriction."

  • August 16, 2024

    Convicted Crypto Mixer Says Feds' 30-Year Ask Too High

    The convicted operator of the Bitcoin Fog crypto mixing service urged a Washington, D.C., federal judge to disregard federal prosecutors' 30-year recommendation and instead levy a below-guidelines sentence, arguing the scale of his money laundering operation isn't indicative of harm done.

  • August 16, 2024

    PE Firm's SpaceX Suit Belongs In Delaware, HK Co. Says

    A Hong Kong company that sued a California-based private equity firm for refusing to invest the company's $50 million into SpaceX says the firm has now sued the company's Chinese parent in California, creating "duplicative proceedings" that ought to be brought in Delaware's Chancery Court.

  • August 16, 2024

    Connecticut Litigation Highlights Of 2024: A Midyear Report

    Several high-stakes Connecticut cases came to a close in the first half of 2024, resulting in the resolution of Frontier Communications' $21.8 million feud with its ex-CEO and a $26.5 million deal for RTX Corp. subcontractors and employees who alleged that anticompetitive no-poach agreements prevented them from advancing their careers.

  • August 15, 2024

    SEC Nabs $5.75M Judgment Against Unregistered Broker

    A Florida man and his business have agreed to pay the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission $5.75 million to end claims they operated as unregistered broker-dealers for at least four years.

  • August 15, 2024

    Zymergen Investors Can't Beat Suit Over Pre-IPO Statements

    Three of the largest investors of biotechnology company Zymergen cannot escape a suit accusing them of misleading shareholders ahead of the company's initial public offering by approving misstatements about the company's commercial product pipeline.

  • August 15, 2024

    Judge Gives Plaintiffs' Attys $1M In Fees For Derivative Row

    A Massachusetts federal judge sliced 60% off a request for attorney fees in a shareholder derivative lawsuit Wednesday, awarding plaintiffs' counsel $1 million for their work on the case, which led to a noncash settlement.

  • August 15, 2024

    'What Is An NFT?': 9th Circ. Mulls Novel Bored Ape TM Fight

    A Ninth Circuit judge considering whether a trial court correctly found artists owe millions for ripping off trademarks on the Bored Ape Yacht Club nonfungible token collection questioned Thursday whether the NFT market is comparable to typical consumer markets, rhetorically asking, "What are we even talking about? What is an NFT?"

  • August 15, 2024

    Gemini Suit Raises Novel Question On Crypto Law, Court Told

    A suit from a consumer advocacy organization claimed Gemini Trust Co.'s user agreement unfairly put the onus on consumers to protect themselves from scams, but the Winklevoss-led crypto exchange said the litigation raises a larger question of whether the federal statute at the heart of the claims applies to cryptocurrencies.

Expert Analysis

  • Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease

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    This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.

  • Calif. Verdict Showcases SEC's New 'Shadow Trading' Theory

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    Last week's insider trading verdict, delivered against biopharmaceutical executive Matthew Panuwat by a California federal jury, signals open season on a new area of regulatory enforcement enabled by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's shadow trading theory, say Perrie Weiner and Aaron Goodman at Baker McKenzie.

  • Series

    Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.

  • ESG Challenges In Focus After Sierra Club Opposes SEC Rule

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    The Sierra Club's recent objection to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's climate-related disclosures for investors presents an unusual — pro-disclosure — legal challenge and an opportunity to take a close look at the varying critiques of ESG regulations, say Colin Pohlman, and Jane Luxton and Paul Kisslinger at Lewis Brisbois.

  • For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill

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    A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.

  • Private Capital Considerations Amid Market Revival

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    As improved market conditions position traditional financing to regain lost market share, it's also worth considering the pace and structure of private credit and other forms of private capital, especially when seeking to set unique terms or build new corporate relationships, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • Intent-Based Theory Of Liability In Hwang Creates Ambiguity

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    A case against Archegos Capital founder Bill Hwang alleging that he participated in a securities manipulation scheme, which goes to trial next month in New York federal court, highlights the need for courts to clarify the legal standard defining "market manipulation," says Edward Imperatore at MoFo.

  • Opinion

    Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea

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    A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.

  • 4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best

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    As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.

  • A Look At Recent Challenges To SEC's Settlement 'Gag Rule'

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    Though they have been unsuccessful so far, opponents of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's so-called gag rule, which prevents defendants from denying allegations when settling with the SEC, are becoming increasingly vocal and filing more challenges in recent years, say Mike Blankenship and Regina Maze at Winston & Strawn.

  • Flexibility Is Key In Hybrid Capital Investment Strategies

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    Flexible or hybrid capital funds have become a solution for some owners adverse to private debt or requiring short-term capital support not otherwise available in the market, but the complexity and possible range of structures available means that principals need to consider how they may work in different scenarios and outcomes, says Daniel Mathias at Cohen Gresser.

  • How American Airlines ESG Case Could Alter ERISA Liability

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    Spence v. American Airlines, a Texas federal case over the airline's selection of multiple investment funds in its retirement plan, threatens to upend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act's legal framework for fiduciary liability in the name of curtailing environmental, social and governance-related activities, say attorneys at Mayer Brown.

  • Defense Attys Must Prep For Imminent AI Crime Enforcement

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    Given recent statements by U.S. Department of Justice officials, white collar practitioners should expect to encounter artificial intelligence in federal criminal enforcement in the near term, even in pending cases, say Jarrod Schaeffer and Scott Glicksman at Abell Eskew.

  • Tipsters May Be Key To Financial Regulators' ESG Efforts

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are looking to whistleblowers to assist their climate and ESG task forces, suggesting insider information could be central to the agencies' enforcement efforts against corporate greenwashing, false investment claims and climate disclosure violations, says John Crutchlow at Youman & Caputo.

  • Series

    Serving As A Sheriff's Deputy Made Me A Better Lawyer

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    Skills developed during my work as a reserve deputy — where there was a need to always be prepared, decisive and articulate — transferred to my practice as an intellectual property litigator, and my experience taught me that clients often appreciate and relate to the desire to participate in extracurricular activities, says Michael Friedland at Friedland Cianfrani.

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